Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology · 2 authors, 3 centres
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This study used 16S rRNA sequencing to analyze the ocular surface microbiota of healthy male C57BL/6J mice at four time points over 24 hours. The central result is that nearly half of the core commensal bacterial genera exhibit a robust 12-hour oscillatory rhythm in abundance.
The study investigated the temporal dynamics of the ocular surface microbiota in healthy 12-week-old male C57BL/6J mice under a 12-hour light/dark cycle. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and functional prediction were performed. Specifically, 11 of 22 core bacterial genera, including Halomonas and Pseudomonas, demonstrated significant rhythmic oscillations. Functional pathways related to neural, immune, and metabolism also oscillated with a 12-hour period. The study concludes that these ultradian rhythms may be important for maintaining ocular surface homeostasis. Limitations noted include the inability of 16S rRNA sequencing to distinguish between live and dead bacteria, the need to account for contamination from periocular skin, and the requirement for further study into the interaction with host circadian rhythms.
